Inflatable valve stopper



F. SAMOUR INFLATABLE VALVE STOPPER Dec. '1, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMay 16, I961 INVENTOR. Fe'r-no'vd Jamour A rice/v5 Y 1964 F. SAMOURINFLATABLE VALVE STOPPER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16, 1961 HVVENTOR.zmanq' 132M014!" m m L. 11 I HHHHNHiw:-25iiiiii United States Patent3,159,377 INFLATABLE VALVE STOPPER Fenland Samour, Paris, France,assignor to Seciete des Verreries lndustrieiles Rennies dn Loing, Paris,France Filed May 16, 1961, Ser. No. 1355,817 Claims priority,application France May 17, 196i) 3 Claims. (Cl. 251-175) The valves andstoppers with which are fitted the lines used in the chemical industriesoften must, because of their conditions of use, present some qualities:perfect tightness, working smoothness, mounting ease and, principally,resistance to corrosive products at high temperatures. Further, it isadvantageous that these valves and stoppers may be operated by remotecontrol.

A primary object of the present invention is a stopper perfectlyagreeing with these different imperatives and es sentially characterizedin that its closing device, serving as a valve, is constituted by abladder, in distortable material, which may be inflated by means of afluid in such a manner that it tightly blocks, by applying itself on aseat provided for this purpose, the line on which it is placed.

According to another feature of the invention, the closing and theopening of the stopper are obtained respectively by inflation anddeflation of the bladder, without being necessary to move it.

Another object of the invention is a device permitting to displace andto bring the bladder back, and essentially characterized in that saidbladder is mounted at the end of a stemcrossing tightly through the wallof the line on which the stopper is placed-and which might be given anaxial translation movement by operating a nut fixed in longitudinalposition, cooperating with a threading on said stem. According toanother characteristic of the invention, all the parts in contact withthe carried corrosive fluids, and particularly the bladder and the stem,are completely sheathed with a synthetic material, impervious to thesurrounding fluids.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the course of thefollowing detailed description of the different aspects of theconvention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a transverse sectional view of an inflatable valve stopperaccording to the invention, provided with a device to control the valvemovement.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view of a second embodiment of themounting of the bladder on the end of the stern.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view according to FIGURE 1,showing the shape taken by the bladder in inflated position when,according to the invention, the deformation of the bladder is used toobtain the closing of the stopper.

FIGURE 4 is another fragmentary cross-sectional View showing the shapetaken by the bladder in deflated position, the deformation of thebladder being used to obtain the closing of the stopper.

FIGURE 5 shows, in a sectional view, an embodiment of the connection ofthe bladder bearing tube to a line of fluid under pressure.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a body 1preferably in borosilicate glass able toresist against chemicalsis made of a three tubulure cap. On the conicalend e of one of these tubulures, a corresponding conical end e isfastened, having, on its inner face, a valve seat 2 and continued by anout-tubulure 3.

The end 2 is fixed on end 6 by means of adjustable metal flange 4,connected by bolts 5. Inserts 6, in asbestos-rubber material or similar,are interposed between conical glass ends 2 and e and metal flange 4. Anannular gasket 7, in polyeterafluoroethy-lene or some other 3,i59,377Patented Dec. 1, 1964 chemical corrosion resisting material, is placedbetween end-lips e and e and engaged by bolts 5.

The valve seat 2 may receive a valve which, according to the invention,is constituted by a canvassed special-rubber bladder or closure member8, with a substantially semispherical shape and with a neck 9 and ananchoring twist lb.

The wall thickness of the bladder 8 decreases from its neck 9 to thebase of the serni-spherical cap in order that this last part be moreeasily distorted than the part near to said neck.

In order to obtain a suitable progressiveness of the wall and a perfectregularity of the cap, neck and twist, the bladder 8 is preferablyobtained by molding.

The neck 9is engaged onto the stamped end of a metal stem 11 and fixedon it by means of a cylindrical nut 12, screwing itself on a threadedpart 13 of said stem 11, and pressing the twist 1i) against the base 11aof said stem.

The stem 11 is engaged, by its other end, in a tubulure 14 and issuesforth out of the glass cap, after crossing a guiding and working device,fixed on the conical end of tubulure 14 by means of a flange 15, withinsert 16 and bolts 17 by which the guiding and working device of stem11 is fastened. I p

This last device includes a flange 18, slipped on bolts 17 and having acentral sleeve 19 in which a boring 20 is made, receiving, with sliding,a cylindrical wider part 21 of stem 11.

A cotter 22, cooperatng with a cottering groove 23, prevents anyrotating movement of cylinder 21 and stem 11. A nut 24, centered on thesleeve 1%, is maintained against it by a washer 25 which is fixed toflange 18 by the heads of bolts 17. This nut 24 cooperates with athreading 26 on stem 11. A control-Wheel 27 centered on the base of nut24 is fixed on it by means of screws 28.

The stem 11, ended by an inflating valve 29, has a central channel 3%running from said valve to the stamped end on which the bladder 8 isfixed.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the differentparts which are placed inside the tubulure cap and, consequently, couldcome in contact with corrosive material or vapours, are entirelysheathed by a chemical resistant material, preferablypolytetrafiuoroethylene.

A polytetrafluoroethylene jacket 31 covers completely the bladder 8 andthe cylindrical nut 12, following exactly their shape, is continued by asheath 32, slipped over stem 11 on the greatest part of its length; thesheath is itself continued by a bellows 33, also inpolytetrafluoroethylene, the base of which is inserted between the endedge of tubulure 14 and flange 18. A tightness component 35, in amaterial more flexible than the polytetrafluoroethylene, for instance incanvassed rubber, is fitted into base or gland 34 and is engaged inbolts 17.

The Working of the above-described device is very.

simple. The bladder 8 is inflated, through valve 29 and central channel3t), to a pressure high enough to balance the pressure of the fluidrunning in direction F in the line. The bladder 8 applies itself then onits sheath 31 maintaining it stretched.

When control-wheel 27 is turned, and consequently nut 24, fixed inlongitudinal position by Washer 25, the nut cooperates with threading 26so that stem 11, to which any rotating movement is forbidden by cotter22, moves itself axially.

Bellows 33 gives stem 11 a freedom of axial movement important enough sothat bladder 8 might take the extreme positions corresponding with theopening or closing of the stopper. Therefore, this device makes possibleto apply bladder 8 onto its seat 2 or, on the contrary, to move it backin order to leave the fluid running freely in the line.

The fluid, running in direction F, contributes to mains tain bladder 8tightly applied ontoits seat when the adjusting in closing position hasbeen correctly made.

On FIGURE 2, another different and. particularly simple embodiment ofthe mounting of the bladder 8 on stem 11 is shown. The stem 11 has, inthis embodiment, a longitudinal boring into which a sliding adjustinghollow needle 7 36 is introduced on the conical end 3'? of which theneck of bladder 8 is engaged, the twist 16 taking position in acorresponding cavity a, disposed in stem 11. The locking of needle 36 issecured, at the opposite end, by valve 29. This embodiment is preferablyapplicable to large diameter valve stoppers. a 1

Theldevice according to the above-described invention is particularlywell adapted for stoppersthe flow of which is relatively important,because the possibilityof remov ing the bladder allows to clear fullythe seat with which it cooperates.

It is however possible, by deflating bladder 8, for instance by bringingit to atmospheric pressure, to cause a sufficient distort on of it inorder to reserve an annular opening 38 large enough, in case ofrelatively low flow,

without it being necessary to move the bladder (FIG- URES 3 and 4). e V7 Such a possibility of stopper control-by inflating and deflating ofbladder s -rnay be exploited, according to the invention, eitherseparately or in cooperation with the valve seat within said casingcoaxial about said axis, inlet and outlet connections fixed with saidcasing on opposite sides of said seat, a tubular stem extending in andalong said. axis within the inlet side of said casing and having itsinner end adjacent said seat, said stern passing through an aperture insaid casing to the exterior thereof, a hollow, expansible, ball-likeclosure member of resilient material secured over said inner end of saidstem in pressuretight communication with the axial passage therein, agland member of chemically-inert material secured to said casing inpressure-tight sealing relation with said aperture and having a centralbore through which said stern slidably fits, said gland including anintegral imabove-described control device for bladder setting. In

both cases, a line 39, connected with a compressed air main, is joinedto theend of hollow stem 11 through an union-nut joint as (FIGURE 5). Onthe line 39, either a three-way cock or a distributor having anatmospherical vent (not shown on FIGURE 4) are inserted.

It is obvious that any fluid other than air may be used l to cause thebladder 8 to inflate or deflate and, therefore,

- vention is particularly adapted to be fitted with any suitable remotecontrol system.

Iclaim: 1. In a valve, a casing having a longitudinal axis, a

perforate sheath extending along and fitting about said stem and closuremember in fluid-tight enclosure thereof, and means mounted on saidcasing, exteriorly thereof, and engaging said stem to translate saidstern and closure member along said axis, from a first innermostposition wherein inflation through said stem of said closure memberexpands the latter intosealing contact with said seat, to a secondoutermost position wherein said closure member is free and clear of saidseat, to leave substantially unobstructed the flow of fluid throughsaid. casing.

2. The valve of claim 1, said sheath including a series of expansibleand contractile bellows rings coaxial of and about said stern andcontiguous to said aperture.

3. The valve of claim 2, said casing comprising a tubular constrictioncoaxial or said axis and terminating in an end forming said aperture,said bellowsrings expanding Withinsaid constriction by and in responseto translation of said stem to-said second position, and means betweensaidcasing and stem restricting the latter to translation only'in andalong said axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS.

944,611 Holmes Dec. 28, 1909 1,873,138 Mitchell Aug. 23, 1932 i1,957,807 Robinson May 8, 1934 2,628,638 Herod Feb. 17, 1953 2,807,511Fleming Q Sept. 24, 1957 2,886,281 Canalizo May 12, 1959 2,911,185Langdon Nov. 3, 1959 2,953,345 Slernmons Sept. 20, 1960 2,994,338 WilsonAug. 1, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,211,752

1. IN A VALVE, A CASING HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A VALVE SEAT WITHINSAID CASING COAXIAL ABOUT SAID AXIS, INLET AND OUTLET CONNECTIONS FIXEDWITH SAID CASING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SEAT, A TUBULAR STEMEXTENDING IN AND ALONG SAID AXIS WITHIN THE INLET SIDE OF SAID CASINGAND HAVING ITS INNER END ADJACENT SAID SEAT, SAID STEM PASSING THROUGHAN APERTURE IN SAID CASING TO THE EXTERIOR THEREOF, A HOLLOW,EXPANSIBLE, BALL-LIKE CLOSURE MEMBER OF RESILIENT MATERIAL SECURED OVERSAID INNER END OF SAID STEM IN PRESSURETIGHT COMMUNICATION WITH THEAXIAL PASSAGE THEREIN, A GLAND MEMBER OF CHEMICALLY-INERT MATERIALSECURED TO SAID CASING IN PRESSURE-TIGHT SEALING RELATION WITH SAIDAPERTURE AND HAVING A CENTRAL BORE THROUGH WHICH SAID STEM SLIDABLYFITS, SAID GLAND INCLUDING AN INTEGRAL IMPERFORATE SHEATH EXTENDINGALONG AND FITTING ABOUT SAID STEM AND CLOSURE MEMBER IN FLUID-TIGHTENCLOSURE THEREOF, AND MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID CASING, EXTERIORLY THEREOF,AND ENGAGING SAID STEM TO TRANSLATE SAID STEM AND CLOSURE MEMBER ALONGSAID AXIS, FROM A FIRST INNERMOST POSITION WHEREIN INFLATION THROUGHSAID STEM OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER EXPANDS THE LATTER INTO SEALING CONTACTWITH SAID SEAT, TO A SECOND OUTERMOST POSITION WHEREIN SAID CLOSUREMEMBER IS FREE AND CLEAR OF SAID SEAT, TO LEAVE SUBSTANTIALLYUNOBSTRUCTED THE FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH SAID CASING.